Opus Strategic Advisors’ Post

Paradigm Shift in Use of Airpower - Atamnirbhar IAF Faces Challenges Till around a decade ago, the air power paradigm was to establish air supremacy through SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defense) and then pound the adversary forces using drones and manned strike aircraft. The paradigm has now changed because air supremacy is impossible to achieve in a peer-to-peer conflict. Understanding the Air Power Paradigm Shift Current world conflicts illustrate how air power now mostly pivots around adversary air defence (AD) capability. The effectiveness of adversary AD can now only be countered using high supersonic/hypersonic speed, manoeuvring missiles at the strategic level, and by low signature long range glide bombs at the tactical level. Does the IAF Measure Up to the Paradigm Shift? Based on the paradigm shift and keeping in mind the AD and missile strike capabilities of our adversaries, what the IAF needs desperately today are: AD systems like the S-400; High supersonic missiles like the Brahmos-A; Hypersonic cruise missiles like the Zircon; Hypersonic quasi ballistic missiles like the Pralay. Luckily, India has all of this but the hypersonic Zircon missile. Overall, the IAF measures up to the challenges of the paradigm shift in aerial warfare. Some gaps remain as does a window of time to plug them.

The Journey of NASAMS 💡 NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is the world’s first operational Network Centric Short to Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence System. Since its debut in Norway, NASAMS has been on a remarkable journey of continuous innovation, adapting to the evolving requirements of global defence landscapes. The KONGSBERG /Raytheon NASAMS Air Defence System features net centric architecture, multiple simultaneous engagements, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities, closely integrated and adapted to a country’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). The NASAMS network expands the defended area and enhances the total fighting capability of the armed forces. Fifteen nations have acquired the KONGSBERG command and control solution to meet their unique defence needs, underscoring the system's flexibility and global impact. Read all about NASAMS here: https://brnw.ch/21wLtY2 #NASAMS #DefenceIndustry #MissileSystem

In highly contested naval theatres of operation, early #detection is key to providing a precise situational picture to enable naval forces to take informed decisions, gain tactical advantage and carry out the mission at hand. At #Euronaval, discover our multi-function air and surface #surveillance sensors and Integrated Air and missile defence (#IAMD) solution, the IonShield Advanced Fire Control system. From the SMART-L MM, with early warning for ballistic missiles, to 360° InfraRed Search and Track system like Artemis IRST, or the Sea fire and APAR multi-function radars and IFF sensors such as TSA6000, the fusion of all sensor data in real-time provides a more accurate and faster maritime tactical picture. The Thales IAMD solution provides the ultimate #defense in high intensity scenarios providing more time to react. 📣 EURONAVAL #EN24 GICAN SOGENA 📆 4-7 November 2024 📍 Parc des Expositions (Hall 6), Paris Nord Villepinte, France #SecuringTheSkies #AirSurveillance #Sensors #Radars

The Journey of NASAMS 💡 NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) is the world’s first operational Network Centric Short to Medium Range Ground Based Air Defence System. Since its debut in Norway, NASAMS has been on a remarkable journey of continuous innovation, adapting to the evolving requirements of global defence landscapes. The KONGSBERG /Raytheon NASAMS Air Defence System features net centric architecture, multiple simultaneous engagements, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities, closely integrated and adapted to a country’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). The NASAMS network expands the defended area and enhances the total fighting capability of the armed forces. Fifteen nations have acquired the KONGSBERG command and control solution to meet their unique defence needs, underscoring the system's flexibility and global impact. Read all about NASAMS here: https://brnw.ch/21wLtY2 #NASAMS #DefenceIndustry #MissileSystem

Successful flight test ✅ Together with Raytheon we successfully completed a flight test of an updated AMRAAM-Extended Range missile variant from NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System). The test was completed with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Defence (Forsvarsdepartementet) and the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The Norwegian Ministry of Defence is a collaborative partner with industry for the AMRAAM-ER. AMRAAM-ER is designed to be integrated with the NASAMS launcher for improved air defence protection, intercepting targets at longer ranges and higher altitudes. The AMRAAM-ER represents increased capability for the NASAMS air defence system and demonstrates the system’s flexibility to launch a variety of missiles. NASAMS, a highly adaptable medium-range air defence solution, is jointly developed and produced by Raytheon and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, and now with the Norwegian MOD as collaborative partner. Drawing on decades of experience, industrial cooperation, and significant investment made by all three parties, the collaborative arrangement will grow the capabilities of NASAMS to ensure it keeps pace with ever-evolving complex threats. 🔗 Read more about NASAMS Air Defence System here: https://brnw.ch/21wHrgr #DefenceIndustry #NASAMS #AMRAAMER #AMRAAM

🚀 The US defence giant #LockheedMartin has said it is prepared to choose the UK as the location to develop a jet-fired hypersonic missile before making it in America. The company pointed to the Mako, a prototype, manoeuvrable missile named after the fastest shark in the seas, as an example of the type of versatile weapon it is willing to pioneer with the #UK. It is capable of reaching speeds exceeding Mach 5 and was designed to be fired from fighters such as the F-35 stealth jet, used by the #RoyalNavy, on missions such as air-to-sea strikes, anti-air defence strikes and other air-to-ground strikes. Developing this type of advanced weapon outside the US, which helped to fund the initial work on Mako, would be a departure from the norm for Lockheed. But Tim Cahill, president for missiles and fire control at Lockheed, said such technology-sharing was now possible under the Aukus agreement – between the UK, US and Australia – and would help each nation pick priorities for defence spending at a time of constrained budgets. Speaking to The Telegraph at the Farnborough International Airshow, he said: “I think Mako is a great example, because it’s a multi mission missile that we could use a hypersonic version of that’s got good range and good speed and good compatibility with a number of platforms. “These are places where the UK could clearly contribute and become the master.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/e8YmJ85w

EX2 has new stories The three EX2 lead news stories today (www.ex2.com.au) are: Andiuril Australia has signed a three-year contract with the RAAF to trial a C-UAS system at RAAF Base Darwin; Defence will investin a domestic rocket motor program as part of the GWEO Enterprise; and Lockheed Martin has launched the eXtreme Range variant of its AGM-158 family of air-launched strike missiles. EX2 HEADLINES - www.ex2.com.au In Other News: ·      Leidos Australia partners with Lockheed Martin Australia on AIR6500 ·      Commonwealth support takes Innovaero OWL B loitering munition into next phase ·      BAE Systems Australia unveils ATLAS UGV at Land Forces 2024 ·      QuantX wins $2.7 million contracts for quantum optical atomic clocks ·      Hanwha Defence Australia and AMSL Aero sign Partnership agreement Read these stories and more at EX2. Innovation is all about new technologies and techniques that solve wicked problems; it’s about the R&D and innovation processes that develop these new technologies and techniques; it’s about the linkages, collaborations and inspiration that make them possible. It’s called thinking outside the square That’s what EX2 is all about.

Hypersonic missiles take time to develop. Especially those compact enough to stow in the internal bay of stealth aircraft for close-up launches—and innovative enough to maneuver in the hypersonic regime. Lockheed Martin’s multi-mission #Mako missile is certainly no exception—it’s been in development for seven years. And yes, it’s compact and innovative. It also supported the U.S. Air Force’s first digital acquisition missile program and scored high in maturity. Named after the fastest shark in the seas, Mako blazes down on time-sensitive targets when every second counts. Able to maneuver in a high-altitude hypersonic regime, it penetrates advanced air-defense systems to engage these high-value targets at or below hypersonic speeds, depending on mission requirements. As an open, multi-mission hypersonic missile, Mako can support strike, maritime strike, counter-air defense and other missions. It deploys from 5th-gen fighters for stand-in strike and has the reach to launch at operationally significant ranges that keep aircraft at safe standoff distances. Weighing in at 1,300 pounds, Mako packs its multi-mission capability into an airframe that’s 13 inches in diameter and 13 feet long. It’s been physically fit-checked externally on a variety of aircraft, including the F-35, F/A-18, F-16, F-15 and P-8, and internally on the F-22 and F-35C. Any aircraft with 30-inch lugs can carry it, including bombers.

This week brought news of the US deploying F 16s into Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. Air power continues to play a crucial role in modern warfare, serving as a force multiplier and a deterrent. The arrival of the F16s underscores the significance of air power in conflict scenarios. The F16 stands out for several reasons that make it unique: - Impressive speed of approximately 1,500 mph - Advanced situational awareness capabilities - Combat radius extending up to 340 miles - State-of-the-art avionics and sensors, among other features In both conventional and unconventional wars, the strategic value of air power remains undeniable and the deployment of F 16s may only go on to prove this. What are your thoughts? #USMilitary #F16 #AirPower #MilitaryTechnology

Some of the purported capabilities summarized below: - NIFC-CA integrating ISR-T capabilities of F-35, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, and Aegis-equipped warships. - This 3rd party targeting would enable Super Hornets to use AIM-174B (SM-6 air-launched variant) to engage targets beyond its radar range (potentially including ballistic missiles). Also potential for engaging ground targets. - AIM-174B would allow Super Hornets to engage various aerial threats over hundreds of miles away. Significantly further than existing AIM-120 AMRAAM and potentially AIM-260 JATM. - Air-launched AIM-174B has greater range and enhanced kinematics than surface-launched variants but lacks the SM-6's booster. Surface-launched SM-6 range is purportedly around 230 miles, depending on the mode of use. More broadly, encouraging to see the Services re-purposing and employing each other’s existing capabilities in novel ways (Army’s mid range capability and Navy exploring PAC-3 on DDGs a couple other recent examples). Has SCO written all over it